Sonoma Country Life reader Sandy O'Hare shot me an email or two prior to my travels to remind me of
the critically important role that the Petaluma Kitchen plays in our community. Sandy's son, Chris is a prime inspirational example of an individual having the greatness of character for giving back in the midst of moving forward in a brand new career direction.
"Though I have lived in Petaluma since the Kitchen first started in 1981 after the flood, I had not given it much thought," wrote Sandy ".....until, my youngest son came back to Petaluma to do a culinary externship. Chris graduated from ST. Vincent Elementary and High Schools. He got his degree in Business Management and moved to Las Vegas.
"For the past 10 years, he worked on Golf Courses as Superintendent and Ass't Sup't., which he loved. Last February, he got laid off from his job. Twas the start of the financial crisis. Golf course he was on ran into financial difficulties and couldn't afford to keep him. To make a long story short, he pursued his second love...and studied at Le Cordon Bleu in Las Vegas....He completed all his course work, but in order to graduate, he had to complete a three month culinary externship. He came to Petaluma... Did 5 weeks at Cyrus...then volunteered at the Petaluma Kitchen. He absolutely loves it, and I cannot tell you how impressed I am with the whole thing.
"The Kitchen serves anywhere from 70-200 people per day, never knowing for sure how many people are going to show up. They also can't plan recipes in advance, because they depend on donations. No one is ever turned away...and everyone gets a hot meal. Though my son Chris completed his externship, he continues to volunteer every day and plans to stay there until he returns to Vegas in July. I think we Sonoma County folk have a treasure in the Kitchen....and we sometimes need to be reminded."
COTS Committee on the Shelterless is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing hope and help to the homeless and persons at risk for becoming homeless in southern Sonoma County. The COTS Petaluma Kitchen is a community kitchen which serves over 100,000 free, nutritious, well-balanced meals per year to patrons of the Kitchen and residents of the Mary Isaak Center Emergency Shelter.
Its Food Box Program provides more than 14,500 boxes of supplemental groceries to very-low-income individuals, including families with children and to seniors on fixed incomes. COTS depends on approximately 20,000 volunteer hours per year to provide these services.
"Mr. Christopher O'Hare came to the Petaluma Kitchen with a request to complete his Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Externship hours as a volunteer, planning and preparing our free noontime meal," says Elizabeth Hale, Director of Food Services for COTS.
"Mr. O'Hare's formal training was eagerly employed by our kitchen staff. With his white Le Cordon Bleu coat and his pleasant personality, Mr. O'Hare presented a professional demeanor to our volunteer crew and our patrons. He learned and quickly adapted to our donations-based planning for our daily menus, which means we plan only the main protein for the meal. We do not have recipes; we make use of what resources are on hand. (Chris) applied great imagination and creativity with his meals and brought fresh thinking to our menu planning. ..... With wonderful enthusiasm for our work, (he) showed us how we could make better use of supplies by making our own stocks. He taught us how to prepare, store and use his flavorful creations. His suggestions have enhanced our service and inspired our kitchen staff to explore new ideas."
Chris is now back in Vegas and will undoubtedly be snapped up in a top kitchen very soon. His experiences back home in Petaluma will stay with him forever, no matter how lofty a height he obtains in his culinary career.
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